Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-11-03

bonnet-strings. There was the faint
est hush on either cheek that might
have been caused by the autumnal
wind, but seemed to rise from sup
pressed excitement.
Decidedly, Lucy is ILL.," Edith de-
termined, as she replied in the mega
tive; but she sid nothing. only re-
solved that during Mr. Dalton's forth
coming absence she would take her
friend in hand and doctor her.
At dinner time Edith. watching her,
saw the evident effort made by the
young wife to appear cheerful and easy,
and was surprised that Mr.. Dalton did
not seem to be aware that any thing
was wrong.
II certainly shall not enlighten him, !"
she declared to herself, ''but will see
what l can do with Lucy when he is
gone. Ignoranc is bliss in such case
as this. Why, he would fret himself
to fiddlestrings if he thought she were
ILL"
When the morning arrived which
witnessed Mr.. Dalton's departure to
the north, Edith noticed more than
ever that her friend was laboring
under some emotion which was not
unconnected. SO it seemed to her, with
excitement.
Edith withdrew to let the couple say
farewell. AS she went into the draw
ing-room, her thoughts flew for the
first time to her father and his mar
riage scheme.
81 suppose had better write and
tell the poor old man that consent to
meet Mr.. Rochdale. 1t can do no harm
at any rate. and 1 can't possibly marry
him without seeing him first l will
60 home at the end of this week.
The first day of Mr.. Dalton's absence
passed much as usual. On the second,
Mrs. Dalton drove out with her friend
and child. and did some shopping. As
they returned to the comfortable villa
near Regents Park. they met a
woman carrying a parcel in her hand,
evidently bound for journey.
"Why, that is Parker, is it not?'
Edith said suddenly; lis she going
away, Lucy?"
Parker was the housemaid at the
villa.
"Yes," Mrs. Dalton murmured. stop
ping with a hurried gesture to push
some parcels on to the seat opposite.
"She has been wanting to go home for
some time, and l thought now Herbert
was away it was good chance to give
her holiday"
Edith acquiesced in this, and did not
observe Lucy's face flush crimson and
then fade to deathly pallor as she
spoke; indeed, at that moment they
turned in at the gates; and Parker was
forgotten.
The two women dined rather drear-
lily. for Lucy was strangely dull. and
Edith was suddenly attacked by an I'M
usual and disagreeable toothache,
"Why not go to bed Edith?" Mrs.
Dalton suggested as the clock struck
nine and they were back in the draw
ing-room.
Edith felt desperately cross with her
self. "a nice person am to cheer any
one up" she thought viciously. She
was more than annoyed that so trivial
but painful an ailment should visit her
when she was the possessor of so rarely
white and even set of teeth. She was
not easily beaten, but after half an
hour had gone. during which she had
| been too uncomfortable to notice the
strange, restless manner in which Lucy
fidgeted about. she threw up the sponge
and declared for bed.
.'Let me bring you some brandy
and-water, and it will make you sleep"
was Mrs. Dalton's eager request
And Edith was obliged to permit her
friend to perform this charitable office.
| and see her to her room. She babe
Lucy good night, and after wild de-
sire to bang her head against the wall.
drank the brandy with shudder, and
after short while dropped off into a
delightful slumber, in which every
twinge of pain was lost. All at once
she awoke with a start, and her heart
beat in an uneven fashion; she sat up
in bed and looked ut her watch-just
twelve o'clock; she had slept, then,
over two hours soundly, and the re-
fractory tooth was subdued. She was
! slipping her watch under the pillow
when again she started; it had been no
delusion, footsteps were passing down
the landing. Like lightning Edith was
out of bed and had thrown on her
dressing gown. Her courage faltered
for a moment, for Edith was only a
girl, and hideous stories of pistols and
hasty shooting by latter-day burglars
came to her mind; but it was only for
moment; then taking her candle in
hand, she went as nOiselessly as posi-
bic to the head of the stairs and passed
down. All was still. and from the
| Pickering light of the hall-lamp she
could see there was no one left as SEN
tinel or spy; SO she determined. not
| without curious sensation at her
hoart fO crcen boldly down recon,